Said It Here

Are full service moving quotes really this expensive?

Major full-service van lines can quote upwards of $15,000 to $16,000 for a small apartment move, leaving people to question if these prices are normal. This extreme cost pushes customers to consider much cheaper alternatives like renting a truck or using portable storage containers like U-Box and PODS.

What people tried

Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.

  1. 1
    Waiting on quotes from other moving companies and local providers
  2. 2
    Switching to portable storage containers like PODS or U-Haul U-Boxes and hiring local labor for loading and unloading
  3. 3
    Selling or donating furniture and belongings to downsize the load
  4. 4
    Renting a truck to drive and pack everything personally
  5. 5
    Choosing a self-move option with rental trucks like U-Haul
  6. 6
    Packing essential items and clothes into suitcases
  7. 7
    Renting temporary furniture
  8. 8
    Buying temporary household items and air mattresses

In their words

Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.

“We just got a full service quote from Allied for $15,500-$16,100. We're still waiting on United and North American, but in the meantime does that sound right?”source ↗

“Are van lines really that expensive? I was expecting around $10k. Should we just look into ubox or pods?”source ↗

“That seems high for two 1 bedroom apartments.”source ↗

zuzumix · r/moving · 44 upvotes

“Moving company said delivery will be between 09/16/2026 - 10/02/2026.”source ↗

SortCreepy7100 · r/moving · 7 upvotes

“This is clinically insane. I’m in the middle of a 1BR move 4 hours away and it’s going to cost me under $1,500 all in. Just rent the vehicle, pack your things inside it, drive it, unpack. $16,000 is outrageous”source ↗

Turbulent-Cricket-65 · r/moving · 5 upvotes

“Then they quoted a week to get our things… yeah NOPE. It was OVER a month.”source ↗

worldtraveler76 · r/moving · 1 upvotes

Where this came up

r/movingbudgetingcustomer servicelogisticsmovingrelocation

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